The Days of the Cupcakes
by CarmineDuvale
Summary: In which there's a shy Draco, a squealing Hermione and a whole lot of cupcake eating. Stranger things have surely happened. Haven't they? ... AU and kind of OOC. First in "The Sweet Tooth of Destiny " Quartet


So I made cupcakes today and this strange little thing just came out of nowhere. Imagine the events after book four never took place and this is what happened in what should have been their seventh year. Obviously, no Voldie.

* * *

_**I've never met a problem a proper cupcake couldn't fix.**_

_Sarah Ockler_

In what would come to be known as _Day One_, Malfoy set down across from her and brought out his cupcake.

"You're not allowed to eat in the Library, Ferret" she said.

But Malfoy smirked, licked vanilla frosting off his lips and opened his Herbology book. So Hermione frowned and finished her History of Magic essay in silence and tried not steal glances at the crumbs on his shirt.

Day Two changed things. He saw her looking, one corner of his lips went slightly up and in a mocking tone he offered her a bite. In what she would later claim as temporary loose of cognitive functions Hermione dipped her finger in the buttery icing.

After an awkward silence, they somehow ended up talking politics. Hermione still didn't know how that discussion had started.

All in all, the no-eating rule hadn't been mentioned again.

On day three, he brought a muffin and offered her half.

In return, she helped him with Herbology.

Day four was much the same. The vanilla cupcake came back but no words were exchanged. In a true twist of fate, Hermione admitted to herself that Malfoy looked rather good in his oxford.

If anything, she claimed insanity in her own mind after that one.

Day five proved to be special. Malfoy presented her with her own cupcake.

He would later enjoy retelling how she had ruined the moment by testing it for poison. Hermione would still say it was rather smart.

Day six arrived and with it came a storm of memories by means of two freshly baked, steaming hot blueberry muffins. She spoke about how her mother used to make them for breakfast every Sunday. Malfoy talked about how _his_ mother couldn't boil water. They laughed together at the preposterous idea of Narcissa Black in a kitchen.

Then they realized who they were laughing with and things promptly went back to being awkward.

Nonetheless, Hermione still wouldn't eat her muffin without the proper charms.

On day seven, the vanilla cupcake was adorned with sprinkles and Malfoy made an off-hand comment about it matching her disposition. Hermione gave what could only be described as a toothy grin, told him about this new edition of Hogwarts: A History and took a huge bite.

Her enthusiasm reached sky-high limits when, instead of rolling his eyes he started talking about the errors the authors frequently made on Slytherin and in fleeting weakness she conceited he might not be so bad.

She berated herself for it later, but couldn't shake the feeling altogether.

Maybe because he had also apologized for previous behavior. Damn his conscience.

Day eight meant red velvets and a passionate discussion about house-elves rights. Hermione had a feeling she gave him quite a bit to think about but nonetheless Draco had nicely held his ground. To be honest, he also gave her something to sleep on.

Worth adding on her insanity list was the fact that she had called him Draco to his face. As shocking as hearing herself say his name had been, she almost fell off her chair when he called her Hermione in return.

It was a new world order.

One confined to the limits of the library.

Day nine was Valentine's Day and he gave her the sketch of a cupcake he had doodled in Transfiguration. No real thing today, he said. Valentine's Day wasn't about being real.

Hermione rather liked the idea but missed the cupcake. Also, having something else in common with him was unsettling.

So was the thought of Draco assuming they were some sort of couple.

But then he mentioned locking his door at night to keep Pansy away and she regaled him with tales of her Ron-evading tactics for the day and she laughed everything off.

The drawing ended up on her nightstand, leaning on a pile of books.

On day ten he was sick and didn't come to class, but a muffin still arrived via owl. Hermione sent him a vial of Pepper Up, then spent the evening worrying about boundaries.

Strangely enough, she kind of missed him.

Day eleven meant avocado cupcakes and a discussion about sophisticated food. Draco laughed, said that cupcakes didn't count as sophisticated and promised he'll take her to a restaurant over Easter break.

He went on like usual, but Hermione's heart skipped a beat.

She also skipped the testing that time.

On day twelve, they were almost caught.

"Is that chocolate frosting on your lip, Hermione?" Ron asked.

She hastily cleaned herself as Ginny also leaned closer.

"That's strange. I saw Malfoy eating a chocolate cupcake earlier."

Hermione shrugged it off with a rather defensive "So we both like chocolate. Is that a crime?" but Ron still looked strangely at her.

Day thirteen was unlucky. She told him about her friends over strawberry muffins but his _I have nothing to be ashamed_ _of_ upset her instead of brightening her up.

The fight ended with her storming off and with him convinced she was ashamed.

Day fourteen meant no cupcake.

So did day fifteen.

On day sixteen she wrote him an apology letter and expressed her mixed feelings which took all her Gryffindor courage.

He did her a one better, sent her a Black Tie Affair and asked her out.

Hermione squealed into her pillow.

On day seventeen they were both shy and in Hermione's opinion, it looked strangely good on Draco.

He brought Raspberry Beret, talked about his childhood and later introduced her to Blaise.

She blushed scarlet when asked if they were together and somehow evaded the answer.

On day eighteen he left a mint cupcake on their usual table, in front of her usual seat and sent her an unusual owl excusing himself.

He took her out that night in Muggle London no less, to dinner and a midnight stroll.

When they snuck back into school, Hermione thought her face would break in half from so much smiling.

He didn't kiss her but pecked her cheek gently and headed back down seven flights of stairs to the dungeons.

Once again, Hermione muffled her squeal in the pillow.

Day nineteen meant fighting.

Not with Draco, no. He was at their table as usual, with a four-leaved clover, two pumpkin muffins and a sheepish grin.

But she went into it with Ron until he met the bad end of her wand and then some. He finally relented with a sigh. Harry looked at her, then at her wand, then conceited to give Draco a chance.

She could have kissed him really, but that wasn't in the plan.

On day twenty, it happened.

Draco brought those vanilla cupcakes that had started it all and, over another History of Magic essay and the same Herbology book, he leaned in to kiss her.

After, she finally brushed the crumbs off his collar and gave a little sigh. Hermione Granger was a happy girl indeed.


End file.
